# Theri (தெறி) (film)
**Theri** (தெறி) is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language action thriller directed by Atlee, produced by Kalaipuli S. Thanu under the V Creations banner, and starring Vijay in a dual role as police officer Vijay Kumar and the bakery owner Joseph Kuruvilla, alongside [Samantha Ruth Prabhu](https://www.edgepedia.org/samantha-ruth-prabhu), Amy Jackson, and child actor Nainika.[1](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2026/theri-re-release-postponed-vijays-film-put-on-hold-with-no-new-date-announced-497146.html) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres) Released on 14 April 2016, it was the first of three films from the Vijay–Atlee pairing and emerged as the second highest-grossing Tamil film of 2016.[3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Feb/17/vijays-theri-gets-a-new-re-release-date) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 14 April 2016 (India, wide theatrical); Tamil language; U certificate[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/theri/ott.html) |
| Director / producer | Atlee (his second film, after *Raja Rani*); Kalaipuli S. Thanu, V Creations[1](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2026/theri-re-release-postponed-vijays-film-put-on-hold-with-no-new-date-announced-497146.html) |
| Lead cast | Vijay (Vijay Kumar / Joseph Kuruvilla), Samantha Ruth Prabhu (Mithra), Amy Jackson (Annie), Nainika (Nivi)[5](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/370076/theri) |
| Key crew | Music G. V. Prakash Kumar; cinematography George C. Williams; editing Ruben[6](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/5963/2016-theri) |
| Runtime | 157 minutes (2h 37m)[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/theri/ott.html) |
| Box office standing | Second highest-grossing Tamil film of 2016; reported international totals of $724,200 (The Numbers) and $288,853 (Box Office Mojo)[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres) • [7](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Theri) • [8](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5440700/) |
| Remakes | Hindi *Baby John* (2024); Sinhala *Goree* (2019); Assamese *Ratnakar* (2019); Telugu *Ustaad Bhagat Singh* in production[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and characters
The film follows DCP Vijaya Kumar, who goes into hiding under a new identity to bring up his daughter Niveditha (Nainika) in a safe environment, running a bakery in [Alappuzha](https://www.edgepedia.org/alappuzha), Kerala, as the recluse Joseph Kuruvilla.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres) • [3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Feb/17/vijays-theri-gets-a-new-re-release-date) When his daughter's life is threatened by gangsters linked to his past, he must confront the danger he had avoided and protect her.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres) Streaming synopses describe the same arc: an honest cop whose family is slaughtered by a politician and his aides changes his identity to raise his daughter, and a vengeful politician forces him to reclaim his former instincts.[5](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/370076/theri)
The supporting cast includes Prabhu as Commissioner Sibi Chakravarthi, Radikaa Sarathkumar as Vijay Kumar's mother, J. Mahendran as the minister Vanamamalai, Rajendran, Kaali Venkat, and Nainika as Nivi.[5](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/370076/theri) • [9](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pana/theri/ET00036069)
## Production and music
Theri was Atlee's second directorial venture after *Raja Rani*; Vijay agreed to act in it following that film's success and Atlee's work as an assistant director, and shooting began in Chennai in early July 2015.[1](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2026/theri-re-release-postponed-vijays-film-put-on-hold-with-no-new-date-announced-497146.html) • [10](https://timepassonline.vikatan.com/cinema/from-short-film-to-bollywood-story-of-the-director-atlee) It was the third Vijay film produced by Thanu, after *[Sachein](https://www.edgepedia.org/sachein)* (2005) and *Thuppakki* (2012).[3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Feb/17/vijays-theri-gets-a-new-re-release-date)
[G. V. Prakash Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/g-v-prakash-kumar) composed the music, George C. Williams handled cinematography, and Ruben edited; the trailer was released by Think Music India in March 2016.[6](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/5963/2016-theri) • [11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK4uGLpkAKk) Nainika won the Best Child Artist award at the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards 2016.[6](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/5963/2016-theri)
## Reception and box office
The film opened to positive reviews from critics and audiences and became the second highest-grossing Tamil film of 2016.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres) A Tamil-language trade report states it was made on a budget of about ₹750 million (₹75 crore) and collected up to ₹1.5 billion (₹150 crore).[12](https://cinemazda.com/atlee-produced-baby-john-collection-official-announcement/) Tracked international grosses differ by database: The Numbers records $724,200 across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and other territories, while [Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo) records $288,853 for the original release plus a 2026 re-release.[7](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Theri) • [8](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5440700/) On IMDb the film holds a 7.4/10 rating from about 27,000 votes; [BookMyShow](https://www.edgepedia.org/bookmyshow) users rate it 8/10.[13](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5440700/) • [9](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pana/theri/ET00036069)
## Remakes and adaptations
The film's success produced a chain of remakes. It was adapted into Sinhala as *Goree* (2019) and Assamese as *Ratnakar* (2019).[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres) Atlee produced the Hindi remake *Baby John* (2024), directed by Kalees and starring [Varun Dhawan](https://www.edgepedia.org/varun-dhawan), Keerthy Suresh, Jackie Shroff, and [Wamiqa Gabbi](https://www.edgepedia.org/wamiqa-gabbi), released on 25 December 2024.[3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Feb/17/vijays-theri-gets-a-new-re-release-date) • [12](https://cinemazda.com/atlee-produced-baby-john-collection-official-announcement/) A Telugu remake, *Ustaad Bhagat Singh*, headlined by [Pawan Kalyan](https://www.edgepedia.org/pawan-kalyan), is in production.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres)
## 2026 re-release
For the film's tenth anniversary, producer Kalaipuli S. Thanu announced a worldwide theatrical re-release on 15 January 2026, during the Pongal window, and released a new re-release trailer on 18 January.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres) • [14](https://www.dinamani.com/cinema/2026/Jan/18/theri-re-release-official-teaser-vijay) The date was then pushed to 23 January, where it was set to clash with the re-release of [Ajith Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/ajith-kumar)'s *Mankatha*, before being postponed again; Thanu stated on X that the postponement responded to requests from the producers of *Draupadi 2* and *Hotspot 2* to support emerging directors and new producers.[15](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/theri-re-release-postponed-again-vijay-vs-ajith-box-office-face-off-off-the-table-2854354-2026-01-19) The makers subsequently announced a 27 February 2026 theatrical re-release.[3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Feb/17/vijays-theri-gets-a-new-re-release-date) The re-release ran alongside a period in which Vijay's new film *Jana Nayagan* was held up by censor-certification litigation.[16](https://www.ottplay.com/news/thalapathy-vijays-theri-not-to-get-a-pongal-2026-re-release/d58966ac6d231)
## Availability
Theri streams in India with a subscription to Amazon Prime Video, Sun Nxt, VI Movies and TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and the Goldmines Play Amazon channel; in the United States it is available on Sun Nxt.[5](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/370076/theri) • [17](https://www.wherecaniwatch.tv/watch/theri-2016-370076)
## References
1. [Theri Re-Release Postponed: Vijay's Film Put On Hold With No New Date Announced, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2026/theri-re-release-postponed-vijays-film-put-on-hold-with-no-new-date-announced-497146.html)
2. [Vijay's Theri to re-release in theatres for Pongal, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Jan/10/vijays-theri-to-re-release-in-theatres)
3. [Vijay's Theri gets a new re-release date, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Feb/17/vijays-theri-gets-a-new-re-release-date)
4. [Theri OTT Release, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/theri/ott.html)
5. [Where to watch Theri (2016) in India, OTTASIA](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/370076/theri)
6. [Theri (2016), TamilMDb](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/5963/2016-theri)
7. [Theri (2016), The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Theri)
8. [Theri (2016), Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5440700/)
9. [Theri (2016), BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pana/theri/ET00036069)
10. [From Short Film to Bollywood: the story of director Atlee, Timepass Online (Vikatan)](https://timepassonline.vikatan.com/cinema/from-short-film-to-bollywood-story-of-the-director-atlee)
11. [Theri Official Trailer, Think Music India, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK4uGLpkAKk)
12. [Theri Hindi remake first-day collection announcement, Cinemazda](https://cinemazda.com/atlee-produced-baby-john-collection-official-announcement/)
13. [Theri (2016), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5440700/)
14. [விஜய் நடித்த தெறி மறுவெளியீட்டையொட்டி டிரைலர் வெளியானது, Dinamani](https://www.dinamani.com/cinema/2026/Jan/18/theri-re-release-official-teaser-vijay)
15. [Theri re-release postponed again, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/theri-re-release-postponed-again-vijay-vs-ajith-box-office-face-off-off-the-table-2854354-2026-01-19)
16. [Thalapathy Vijay's Theri to not get a Pongal 2026 re-release?, OTTPlay](https://www.ottplay.com/news/thalapathy-vijays-theri-not-to-get-a-pongal-2026-re-release/d58966ac6d231)
17. [Watch Theri (2016) Online, WhereCanIWatch](https://www.wherecaniwatch.tv/watch/theri-2016-370076)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Tamil films of the 2010s › Tamil action and thriller films of the 2010s › Titles L to T*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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